The Paper Tiger
by Wayfarer Fox
Summary: When the evil Eagle Claw Clan attacks Zootopia's creme de la creme, it falls in the hands of Jack Savage to save the day.
1. Act 1 - I've paid my bows

The regal ram waved his right roof. "Give them the rapiers, Lambric. Cousin Lamblet, you know the wager?" Said the King.

The grey buck smiled, he donned a black gambeson, elegantly fitting his chest. Light grey stripes covered it, contrasting with the black stripes on his cheeks. A blue cape hung from his right shoulder. "Very well, my lord. Your grace hath laid the odds o' the weaker side." He said fitting his left paw behind the rapiers guard.

The King laughed, his golden crown dangling over his small head. "I do not fear it; I have seen you both; But since he is better'd, we have therefore odds."

The buck's adversary stood in front of him, the capybara was a bit taller and donned a red gambeson decorated with golden buttons all over it. He slid his right paw inside the cup guard of his sword and felt it's weight upon his arm. "This is too heavy, let me see another,"

"Ay, my good lord." Spoke Lambric. The black sheep approached the capybara and took his sword with a bow, giving him another, shorter one.

The King stood up, clapping his hooves. "Set me the stoops of wine upon that table. If Lamblet give the first or second hit, or quit in answer of the third exchange, let all the battlements their ordnance fire: the King shall drink to Lamblet's better breath; And in the cup an union shall he throw, richer than that which four successive kings in Fowland have worn. Give me the cups and let the kettle to the trumpet speak, the trumpet to the cannoneer without, the cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth." The King sipped from his chalice of wine in Lamblet's direction. "Come, begin: and you, judges, bear a wary eye." Said the King, lifting his chalice to the audience.

"Come on, sir" Said the buck, he turned his cape over his shoulder and spun it around his right arm. His rapier pointed straight to the capybaras heart: pointy, deadly.

The capybara held his rapier low, his left paw hung way over his head. "Come, my lord."

The buck charged over the capybara, throwing his cape over his adversaries rapier. The capybara jumped backwards, escaping both the cape and the thrust that followed around it. The capybara's rapier clanged when he deflected another thrust, sparks flew through the air as steel grazed against steel. The buck retreated and feigned a cut against the capybara's left hand, to which he fell, and quickly curved his rapier against the pretend-cut. The buck's smile widened and, as soon as one sword made contact with the other, he thrusted against the capybara's right shoulder, trespassing it.

The audience gasped as the point could be seen from the capybaras back. Lamblet and Sheepertes jumped away from each other,

"One." Spoke calmly Jack, or Lamblet, for the night. His smile was wide, he and Matthew had done that same scene many times before, but they always tried to improvise here and there. Their director hated it, the public thought otherwise.

Sheepertes hung his sword point a bit lower now. "No." He protested.

"Judgement." Claimed Lamblet in his calm tone.

Lambric caressed his black fur. "A hit, a very palpable hit."

Sheepertes stood in a higher guard, his sword standing in front of them both. "Well, again." He demanded.

The King clapped his hooves from his throne, up above. "Stay, give me drink. Lamblet, this pearl is thine." The King pulled a pearl from his necklace and dropped it in front of his throne. He raised his chalice in Lamblet's direction. "Here's to thy health."

A trumpet sounded from behind the set. A cannon shot soon followed.

The King clapped again, once silence reigned. "Give him the cup."

Lambled refused the cup from a cupbearer with his rapier's point. "I'll play this bout first, set it by awhile. Come." Spoke the buck in the same calm tone. His rapier pointed to the capybaras feet now, hanging from above his head.

The capybara tried a feint by the buck's left, but with a spin of his blue cape the buck captured his foe's rapier. His own then danced around his ears, knocking the foes right paw behind his sword guard. With another spin his rapier now met his foe's left arm, cutting the red fabric and showing it's white insides.

Matthew battled with his face, he was too excited that their footwork was actually working to not smile. But Sheepertes was worried, and his face should show accordingly. They both took a step away from each other, the buck throwing the sword back to the capybara. The crowd cheered and applauded the apparent small victory from the hero, apparently having forgotten the tragic ending that soon would follow.

Jack couldn't resist, he turned to the public and took a long bow, his sword now pointing to his right side. Applauses stormed frantically, he knew he had conquered them. He knew that he would break their hearts in a few moments. Like rain the applause sounded and he reveled in those sounds. Dozens of pairs of paws and hooves clapping happily, rhythmically. Except for one pair.

His ears turned searching for the source and soon he found it. A tiger wearing an yellow tunic, a wide smile on his mouth and an uneven pair of eyes on his face, staring deep into his soul: one yellow, one blue. He could clearly hear his claps now. Each, a thunder. Each, a drum beat.

Jack's happiness withered, his smile waned and the only reaction he could muster was to mutter. "Si… Sifu?" The tiger smiled with his large fangs now. A ferocious, menacing, smile

Jack only noticed that the claps had resumed when a folded script hit his head, coming from the off right. He looked around, first meeting the usually calm, but now furious eyes of his sloth director and second noticing the tiger was nowhere be seen. Jack took a deep breath and again he was Lamblet.

The play followed smoothly and, as soon as the curtain fell, Jack stood up as the cast gathered for the final bow. He sheathed his rapier and started to walk off-stage.

"Jack, are you ok?" Asked Matthew, as he walked by.

"Not feeling very well Mat." Said Jack, walking past him.

"Mr Savage!" Shouted his director. _A whole phrase in a single breath, he_ _was_ _really pissed._ "Where… do you think…. you are…" The sloth proceeded to shout, but Jack had already went away.

The buck first hopped and then ran as fast as his legs would allow him. He climbed a long set of stairs until he found himself in an even longer corridor of alternating golden doors. A few more quick steps and he finally reached his own.

From around his neck he produced a thread of line with a key attached to it. Jack fumbled with the lock as clumsy as his paws seemed to allow him. As soon as he could get himself in, he slammed the door and locked it. Finally he felt safe, leaning his back against the solid wooden door.

"It's been a long time, Jack Savage." Spoke the enormous tiger which was casually sitting on his bed.

"Aaaaah!" Shouted Jack in answer, falling to the ground.

He had meant something of the likes of "How did you get in here?" or maybe a defying "What do you want, Sifu?", but "Aaaah!" was his mouth's game today.

"I see that you are back to acting. That was a… peculiar rendition of Lamblet, I have to say." Proceeded the tiger, standing up.

"Aaaaaah!" Answered Jack, with confidence.

Even though his mouth seemed to betray him, his body started to recompose itself. First his back remembered that it should stay upright, like a proper and proud buck. Then his legs felt uncomfortable with his back's straightness and were like "Ok, ok. Time to work." and lifted him up. His hands then realised how dumb they looked flailing around and calmed the hell down. Last, but not least, his mouth remembered that silence was also a proper answer, so it tried that.

"Better this way. Now Jack, we have a lot to talk about." The tiger pointed Jack's bed, suggesting him to sit. Jack knew that it was an order, so he complied.


	2. Act 2 - What does the tiger say?

The tiger paused and looked outside the window right next to the bed. He sighed and leaned himself against it's glass, trying to find the right words.

"Master Wang, why did you…" Asked Jack, whilst trying to remove his gambeson.

"Sifu. It's Sifu, Jack." The tiger glanced at him with a half smile and then turned his gaze back to the night sky that could be barely seem from the window.

"Oh… yeah… right. So… Sifu… why did you came all the way from Zhongzhou? I doubt it was to watch my play." Jack finally unbuttoned the heavy blouse and started to pull himself out of the thick fabric.

"Your acting… is lacking.. to say the least." Quickly answered the tiger, seemingly buying himself time.

"People seem to enjoy…" Jack took off his sweaty shirt and started to look for a towel he had… somewhere… maybe it's behind that pile of books? No? Nope.

"Jack…" Started the tiger. "A great menace is coming to Zootopia."

"Sure… what menace?" Jack pulled his towel from under his bed, it seemed to get tangled with a copy of "Das Kapital". _At least my towel seem to have some interest in it._ The towel, and now the book, were a bit damp, but it could work. Now he started to look for his soap, that sneaky soap.

"The Eagle Clan plans to attack your Senate." The sober tone of the tiger caught Jack's attention. The soap, could wait. "We of the Tiger Clan have a duty Jack. We have to stop them."

"Wait. Waaaaait." Jack got himself out from under his bed and looked Wang dead in the eye. "Like eagles eagles?"

"Uh… yes Jack. The members of the Eagle Clan are Eagles, in general." The tiger looked confused, Jack always noticed how his old master had no sense of humor, or how… funny his culture was. Maybe it was a Zootopian thing.

"So… you are telling me that there's also a Rat Clan made of rats, and they use little rat kimonos with little rat swords?"Jack showed those beautiful white teeth of his, the cigars still hadn't ruined them.

"JACK!" Thundered the tiger. "Can't you grasp the seriousness of the situation?!"

Jack had to hold himself in order to not wilt under that menacing gaze. He had had his fun, he had his laugh, now it was time to take the big bad tiger seriously. "Sorry Sifu." Jack connect his right fist with his left paw palm and bowed towards Wang.

"The attack will happen in two hours. This night there will be a meeting between representatives from Kishu and congressmen from Zootopia. A deal is being struck to tighten the ties between the two nations and form a commercial pact. Representatives from my nation are overseeing the deal as a neutral part. Thus, securing the meeting against the Eagle Clan's attack is paramount for keeping the peace between the nations." The tiger then paused. Pretty happy with himself not to be interrupted for a whole minute.

"What?! Two hours?!" Jack looked at his clock, then back at Sifu Wang. "And wait, if you are here, why the hell do you need me? You are a big strong tiger, you sure can take some eagles."

"Jack… this is your city. And imagine the problems of a foreign acting in such manner on Zootopian soil." The tiger held his hands against his back. "And this will also serve as test for your abilities, have you kept practising?"

Jack sighed. "Yeah… every day… every kati. Just like you instructed..."

"Good… you might be worth the title of master after this mission then." Wang then smiled, his menacing blue and yellow eyes gazing deep into Jack's soul. That was the sort of gaze from someone that knew something about the person he was talking to, had just been waiting for a chance to use that information and that moment had come. "Despite… Your Mrs. Serebryianyi will be in the meeting." Yes, Sifu Wang was a dick.

"Oh…" Jack said. "Crap." He punctuated his line of thought. Jack dropped his towel and pulled a heavy ammunition box from under his bed. Inside there laid his gray shaolin robe and his very thin black sneakers. Jack sighed and looked back at his master. "Can't you get… like… anyone else… really?" He sighed again, and started to put on his robe. After getting dressed he looked around his room, trying to remember what he lacked.

"Your sash, jack." The tiger pointed his snout towards the wall to his right. Jack then turned, getting face to face with his old dao. The long machete stood there, reflecting his face. All his prior sashes were attached to its round pommel, except for one. His red sash was attached to the guard, a reminder of his graduation in the art. He took his sash and rolled it around his waist, ending it in a tight knot. "How do I look?" Asked Jack, looking at his master. His absent master. The tiger was nowhere to be seen. "Really? You will pull a Batmole on me? Really?!"

Jack pulled down his sword from the wall and dusted it, the blade shining bright silver under his room's light. Jack grimaced and attached the dao to his waist.

"Screw you Sifu Wang…" Said Jack, while squeezing himself out of his window, he was going to take the rooftop-way.


	3. Act 3 - The masked ball

Skye never understood birds in general, they were very hard to read. Their eyes were very expressive, but their beaks wouldn't betray much. And their body language… they moved in a very gracious way, but all was so… choreographed, so… perfect. It almost seemed to lack emotion, but that was the silver fox in her talking.

She smiled to the stork in front of her, he spoke very plainly, if a bit slowly. The Zootopian language lacked the grace of their tongue, it didn't had the same musicality, but he managed.

"... therefore it would be of great interest for the Zootopian Commonwealth to sign such a deal, Ms Serebryianyi." The tall stork said. He stood over a single leg, unmoving if not for his neck and head.

Skye unwrinkled her red tailleur. "You sure are aware that I'm just a congresswoman, ambassador Konotori."

"And you are sure aware that you've been amassing a huge wave of support the last month's, Ms Serebryianyi." He switched legs and stretched his wings a bit. Skye now noticed how he wore a silver tie over his black vest and black pants. _How flattering and audacious. Very unlike you, Mr Konotori._

Did he smile? Did his eyes smile? It sure was confusing trying to grasp all of his gestures while trying to stay aware of the cocktail party around her.

"I'm just doing what is best for Zootopia, Mr Konotori, but so far the terms seem rather favorable. We do have an excess in fishing right now. This deal would suit both our peoples. Of course Kishu could bring more to the table and sweeten the matter." Skye picked up a champagne from a passing server and smiled towards the stork.

"And what could my great people offer that Zootopia desires?" Konotori extended one of his long legs and picked up a cup for himself.

"Those new licenses of oil exploration of yours…" Skye sipped from her glass. "They would open for Kissuan companies only and I have some friends at Bison & Buffalo that would kill to get a chance to… offer your great people a good deal."

"That would be unusual Ms Serebryianyi, you know our nation's Emperor is rather protective of our natural resources." Konotori slid his beak inside the cup and then lifted it upwards, allowing the beverage to slide down his long neck. He repeated that three times before returning his attention to her.

"Well… your people can't eat oil. Besides, I'm sure we can reach a deal that would suit both nations." Skye offered him his cup for a small toast.

Konotori extended his paw towards hers and clinked the glass. "On that you are right, Ms Serebryianyi."

Skye turned when she felt a poke on her back. It was Congressman Arctos.

"Serebryianyi, it's time for you speech." The old grizzly was kneeling on the floor, a gentle smile on his face.

Skye turned back to the ambassador and gave him a slight bow. "Ambassador, I'm sure we will get a chance to talk more later."

The stork extended his wing in front of him and returned the bow, in a more formal way. "It will be my pleasure, Ms Serebryianyi."

Skye climbed into the grizzly's paw and hung onto his suit's black sleeve. As he got up she could see the whole hall and lots of familiar faces. The Zhongzhou retinue of mediators seemed a bit to insulated to her taste, she should send someone to enroll them in the crowd.

"Skye, the party is laying a lot of chips on you this term." Spoke the large grizzly, loud enough for her attentive ears to hear, but silent enough for noone else to eavesdrop.

"I know Chris and I sure am thankful for the opportunity." Skye smiled towards him. For the president of the Confoederatio party, he sure was caring. At least as far as it affected his own political ambitions.

"I read your speech this morning." As Chris moved among the crowd of congressmen, foreign representatives and reporters eyes turned towards the duo. Congressman Arctos was a mountain among the other mammals and Skye… Skye was bright silver in a well lit room.

"Did you like the tone?" Skye started to groom her tail with her right paw, she liked to appear common before her speeches. The reporters also liked it, and clicked away pictures of her smile.

"It seems good enough. Our electorate might not like it a lot, though." Chris extended his massive paw towards the stage and Skye hopped off of it.

"Like if they would remember it a week from now…" Skye smiled a toothy smile towards Chris and started to walk towards a podium placed in the middle of the stage. Blinding flashes of light exploded from the crowd as she climbed to the podium and tapped lightly tapped the microphone attached to the podium. "Did we pay the power bill this month?" A coy formed in her lips when the sound of muffled laughs came from the crowd.

"Fellow mammals and avians, it's an honor for Zootopia to be hosting this event that unites three great nations under a single purpose: prosperity. Prosperity of our peoples, prosperity of our relations and prosperity for our sons and daughters." Skye extended her left arm towards the Zhongzhou delegation. "I would like to formally thank, in behalf of all of Zootopia, the Zhongzhou delegation which honor us in coming all the way from their prosperous home to help us with the process of finding common ground with our friends from Kissu."

She now waved towards Ambassador Konotori. "I would also like to thank Ambassador Konotori for all his effort in making these talks possible. Can we have a salvo of applause for such a great bird among his flock?" Every congressmen joined her applauding the Ambassador. The Zhongzhou delegation seemed to follow suit, even if it wasn't usual in their culture.

The stork seemed to ask for a microphone, and an aid supplied it for him. "I would also like to publicly thank Ms Serebryianyi. I'm an old stork, I have more white feathers than would be fitting for my kind. But this fox has the necessary energy to move Zootopia and this all is thanks to her. Kissu also thanks you, Ms Serebryianyi."

Something caught Skye's attention, a passing gray shade between curtains by the back of the hall, and also an open window. _Focus Skye, this is not the time._ She thought to herself, forcing a joyous smile as another round of applause followed.

She didn't expect that from the stork. _I_ _think I'm reaping more than I expected._ "Now you got me timid, Mr Ambassador!" More laughs, it was like throwing bugs for a bunch of lizards. "Now gentlemen, in all seriousness, we have a lot of work and talking to do this week, but for this night let us celebrate this joyous union among our peoples and…" Skye paused for a moment, there it was again, the gray shade between curtains. It seemed like a rabbit. "... delight ourselves in the great Kissuan cuisine!" An aid quickly brought a cup of champagne for her, when she took the cup she saw a familiar face peeking from behind a curtain. His stripped cheeks, a feature she still had to get used to, were remarking enough for her to be sure. _What the hell are you doing here Jack?_

A cough sounded from the crowd, she now realized that she had been all this time squinting her eyes, quiet, with a dumb expression on her face. Her ears pointed up, her photo worthy smile showed up and her face illuminated with the expected joy. "Cheer all!" Cups were lifted, clinks were made and she was free again from the stage.

Skye hopped off of the stage and mingled amidst the crows of tall and small birds and mammals. _Where is that pesky rabbit?_ She asked herself, as she navigated towards the back of the hall.

"Ms Serebryianyi, a word?" Asked an armadillo reporter, it was from the Bunnyburrow Broadcast Channel.

"I'm sorry my dear, I have to go to my office right now." She excused herself, walking away from the cocktails, talking, politics and heading to her problem at the moment. Jack.

Skye got to one of the windows and sniffed around it. _Yep, that's Jack. And he did not take a bath, how endearing…_ She walked from window to window, from curtain to curtain, following the familiar smell. He always made her feel butterflies in her stomach, but by the gods, why couldn't he be more than a slob of an actor in a more than decadent theater? Or, you know, a decent fox.

 _No, it had to be my good for nothing bunny, showing up in the most formal event of my career and putting four years of political maneuvering at risk._ She extended her right paw behind the curtain and grabbed his pair of warm and soft ears. "Squee!" He sounded, surprised. _Freaking bunnies…_

"Give me a single reason for me not to get you kicked out of here immediately." She tightened her grip around his ears and pulled him to her eye level.

"Because you adore me and I have a very good reason to be here?" Jack gave her his most charming smile. She had seen better.

Skye now paid close attention to… what he whore. He was dressed in some kind of… kimono? Or something like that. And he carried a freaking sword on his waist. A real freaking sword. It even seemed sharp. Skye dropped him back on the floor and glared at him. "Jack, what the hell?! Are you freaking insane entering the Senate with a weapon?! Are you trying to get arrested or, worse, ruin me!?"

"Skye, you are in danger. There's going to be an attack from…" Jack paused for a moment, his mouth hanging open, his expression blank.

"I'm listening Mr Savage…" Skye's tail rocked right and left, her fur getting bushy by the moment.

"Listen, I know this will sound crazy. Like, really crazy, but you see... there's this Eagle Clan, which is a secret martial arts organization, and they plan to attack the Senate this…" Jack started.

"Jack… are you drunk?" Skye paused for a moment, laying a paw on his right shoulder.

"What? No! Can't you smell me?!" Jack seemed to get a bit angry by that question. Skye felt unfazed.

She pressed her temples, trying to relieve herself. _Why just today Jack? Of all days…_ "Look, I know I won't get you out of here without causing a scene, so let's do it like this. You meet me in my office in… 5 minutes and if you manage to not get kicked out of here I'll get you in… something presentable so you don't cause me any trouble." Jack lifted a paw, but Skye wouldn't let him try to bullshit her. "Don't even try."

She walked from behind the curtain and went straight for her office. The Senate was like her home by now, a left turn here, a right turn there and there was her office. Her giant door, her giant chair and her secretary.

"Morgan, I need a bunny size suit from the security staff, _pronto_." Barked Skye as she got inside her waiting room. Her assistant looked confused at her at first and then desperate.

"Ms Serebryinanyi! I… how am I supposed to…?" The puma tried to ask.

"Morgan, just get it done and get it done fast. I'll be in my office waiting for you." Skye unlocked her door and entered her office. When she turned on the lights Jack was waiting for her, sitting on her desk. "Ah!" She shouted.

"What took you so long my dear?" Oh that shit eating grin of his. She would like to slap him some sense.

"How the hell did you…" Skye tried to ask.

"Your window is really easy to unlock from outside…" He hopped from the desk and walked towards her, holding both of her hands. "Skye…"

"Jack, do you have any idea how dangerous it is, for me, if anyone sees us together?" Skye blurted, shoving him away from her.

"But I'm here because of you! To protect you!" Justified Jack.

"Protect me from what Jack? To achieve something?!" Protested Skye.

"Achieve what?! Being the speciesist mayor from a speciesist backwater city in the most speciesist party in all of Zootopia?!" Shouted Jack.

"It's a mean to actually do something! Or are you doing any better being a crappy actor in an almost bankrupt theater?!" Shouted back Skye, her tail a bushy paint brush.

"At least I didn't sell out all my ideals for a quick time in bed with Zootopia's oldest politicians! Did they at least buy you some…" Started Jack before being slapped, claws included, across the face.

They looked angrily at each other, neither finding the correct words to further the fight nor make amends. That's when a knock on the door sounded and a puma face showed. "Ms Serebryianyi I…"

"WHAT?!" Snarled Skye.

"I… I found the suit… you asked for…" Shyly answered Morgan.

"Oh, sorry Morgan. Just leave the suit in by the door." Said Skye.

"But Ms Serebryianyi don't you…" said Morgan coming in. The slim puma jumped on his feet when he saw Jack. "Are… are you Jack Savage? From the Avon House of Plays?"

Jack's frown shifted into a smile, a proud and arrogant smile. Skye's paw still stung from the slap, but oh… weren't she more composed…

"The one and the same, pleasure to meet you Mr…?" Asked Jack, paw extended, walking towards the puma.

"He is Mr-it's-very-late-and-he-should-head home." Skye cut in front of Jack and picked the suit from Morgan's paw. "Now be a dear and leave to your home Morgan."

"I… Ok mam." The puma waved goodbye and turned his back to her, clearly confused.

Skye closed the door behind him and leaned her head against it. She paused for a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order. Soon enough, the weight of the suit she was holding reminded her that life wouldn't wait. Actually, if she didn't solve the Jack problem right now she would get a lot of unwanted questions. This wasn't a night for questions, not about she and Jack, anyway.

"Look, Skye…" Jack started.

"Jack…" She turned towards him and realized that his right cheek was bleeding, only slightly, but it still stained his gray and white fur reddish. "Oh! I cut you!"

"What? Really?!" Jack reached for his face, but not before her. Skye dropped the suit to the floor and grabbed his soft face. Along his stripes ran four red lines, each with drops of blood forming along it.

Skye instinctively licked them, the sweet taste filling her mouth, a ferrous aftertaste coming right along. It reminded her how her father would clean her own bruises when she was very young, he used to say that it made the wounds heal faster. She didn't really know if it was true, but some things simply get ingrained in you and you simply forget to ask why.

While she kept trying to remove the red from his gray fur, Jack hugged her waist, nuzzling against her belly. And there they were, the butterflies. Skye stopped for a moment, her snout pressed against his right cheek, his smell all around her.

"Jack… you know how important this is to me, right?" She whispered into his ear.

"I know Skye… I swear to you this is…" Jack tried again to explain himself.

"Shush." She stopped him. "Ok. But you are not walking around with that sword anymore."

Jack shrugged, his face still pressed against her belly. Skye hugged his dumb stripped face and kissed his head. She really liked his smell.

Skye stepped away from him and, with a twirl, she picked the suit from the floor. "Let's get you presentable."


	4. Act 4: When things do blow over

_Like a thousand worms devouring a dead corpse. Crawling between bones and rotten flesh. That's what Edgar Alan Crow would say._ Jack felt… uncomfortable. That puma seemed to think that meerkats and rabbits were of the same size. Well, they weren't, especially the tail. Jack's felt like it had a rubber strip around it.

He saw as Skye walked farther and farther from him, the only thing left being her faint smell in his fur. He liked her smell, a lot.

An orchestra played on one of the edges of the hall, it was one of Beehthoven allegro's, it gave a cheery tone to the bland everyone-in-a-suit type of place. _Focus Jack, time to get into character._

But who could he be? He could be… Jack Reacher, retired special forces and security at the party? _That's dumb… and I can do better than to use my own name._ Maybe… Jonathan Conejo. _Oh, I like the sound of that._ Reporter, 43 years old, alcoholic. Married for ten years, has 50 children so far, a not so humble litter for a city rabbit. _A bit more, I'm feeling it._ He is secretly investigating a corruption scheme in the House of Representatives for the Lucky Herald and is here with the excuse to cover the great political occasion. _Ok, now I'm set. 1, 2, 3…_

Jack took a deep breath. With a finger he loosened his tie, the long years of typing on several generations of keyboards weighing on his tense shoulders. He knew he would arrive very late that night and Clarissa would chew his bones for that, but he had work to do. Important work.

From a table nearby he pocketed a notebook, a few steps more and he swapped a cup of whisky from a waiter, he couldn't live without this demon. His eyes felt tired, his spirit felt bitter, and he had a stupid political event to cover. He flipped some pages and started to write in the notebook with an old pen he had in his pocket, his eldest son's idea of a "perfect father's day gift". _The Orchestra played gracefully as mammals and avians negotiated how they would further exploit their peoples. The enslaved proletariat worked tirelessly serving drinks, appetizers to the richest, to those that forced them into this life of quiet servitude._ A thing that Jack forgot to point out: John had a communist column at the Herald. _The leader of the Confoederatti, congressman Chirstopher Arctos seemed to be introducing his pupil, congresswoman Skye Serebryianyi to some fat capitalist birds from Kissu. I do not know which enterprise said birds represent, all I know is that they are well dressed swallows and that the fox would… gracefully… enchant the hearts of even the hardest and coldest businessmen of this or that land. Her beautiful eyes, her gracious paws, moving like falling snowflakes in a winter morning. Her fur, silver, glistening, inspiring._

Jack shook his head, he would have to stay away from Skye. He didn't appear as a bitter investigative reporter anymore, but as his jolly defying self, full of pride and joy, Skye had this effect on him. And also making very dumb decisions, like following his old Sifu instructions and going on a meaningless chase to a place that he could not dislike more. It had good food, though. He approached one of the serving tables and grabbed some green and yellow pieces of soft candy. They smelled like orange and grapes, so he bit one. To his surprise a dark blueish paste was inside it, having a faint sweet taste, quite delicate and like nothing he ever had eaten.

He cleaned his paws and approached a window, a bit away from the crowd. The city was beautiful, luminous, alive. From there he could see the division between Sahara Square and Savanna Central and how the farther from the split he looked, more and more the buildings looked different, but in that specific place where the two quarters met, styles of architecture mixed, creating the most beautiful and exquisite buildings in the city.

"Sir." A claw poked at his back. "Could I see your invitation?"

Jack turned to face a lynx with emerald green eyes. He wore an unnoticeable black suit that went really well with unremarkable bland expression. The only contrast was the white spiral wire that ran from his suit to the inside of his left ear. Jack felt the years crawl back under his fur, he was again Jonathan Conejo.

He gave a tired look to the young sporting lynx, he seemed like a well fed lad. "I'm press kiddo." Answered the old rabbit.

The lynx stopped for a moment, unsure of what to do. Was it the sudden change of body language or the raspy voice that surprised him? "Then I would like to see your press pass, sir."

"Mr Conejo." Jonathan wouldn't be turned down by some watchcat of the state. "We both have better things to do, so go sit on your boss's lap or play with a yarn ball for all I care." Jonathan's eyes followed a server, he had a whiskey bottle with his name on it. "I've gotta a drink to catch."

Mr Conejo tried to walk past the security guard, but the lynx's tight grip thought otherwise, a hint of claw at the point of each of his fingers.

"Mr Conejo, if you could please follow me. We would like to ask you some questions." The lynx spoke in a calm, slow tone. Jonathan had the impression that he was trying to make sure that his rabbit ears would grasp the hidden threat behind every word.

"You are not taking me anywhere!" Shouted Jonathan. Jack wouldn't like to make a scene, Skye's event and all, but he wasn't going to break character just now. "You can't silence the proletariat, you fascist pig!"

The lynx rolled his eyes and dragged Jonathan along the large hall, more than a few eyes watching and the feline dragged the berating rabbit.

"You think you are something other than a slave to this oppressive elites! You mindlessly take their orders to oppress your fellow men, why you…" He had a whole ten minutes of speech planned, but then the sound of glass being broken sounded across the entire hall.

The rabbit and the lynx stood still, attentive, confused. The lynx's left paw reached for his communicator, his right paw still holding tight Jack's shoulder. _Well, time to play my original role._ Small black balls were thrown through the broken windows and panic ensued. Loud, but otherwise inoffensive, blasts sounded all around the hall enveloping the now fleeing pack of scared mammals running towards the emergency exit door, which, of course, didn't work properly. A mess of hooves, claws, wings, fur and feathers tried to squeeze through the poorly planned door.

Jack noticed dark shadows flying through the windows and amidst the smoke. _Like the carrion birds of legend._ He thought and knew then it was about time for him to act. "Sorry pal, gotta have to resist arrest and all." Jack slid his left paw over the lynx's right one and firmly grasped his thumb. The surprised lynx tried to pull his arm off of his grasp, but Jack turned the lynx's thumb outwards, forcing his arm to turn in the wrong way.

The now free shoulder of Jack moved away from the agent, at the same time that Jack's left hand posed a pretty convincing argument to his arm that he should not try to resist being twisted, or he would get a broken thumb. Jack posed his right paw in a claw like manner and palmed hard against the feline's chin, who fell unconscious. Now with both his arms free Jack could resume his paying-attention-to-what-was-happening. The chaos still reigned in the cramped emergency exit and he could now see that the shadows flocked around the scared mob and, now and then, one of the birds would dive in and move away carrying something.

Not something, someone. _Oh… crap baskets._ Jack ran towards one of the windows and climbed a curtain, finally getting above the smoke. The eagles were dressed in light gray vests, which covered their entire bodies, except for their eyes, their beak, their claws and their wings. Ok, they covered their torso and part of their legs, mostly. Their flock was now reduced to only a dozen of individuals and Jack could see clearly as three of them dived towards the fleeing crowd inside the smoke cloud. The three quickly came back up: one carried a pompous resigned stork, a second one carried what seemed to be a startled raccoon, the third one carried a struggling silver fox. Completely silver. With a red tailleur. Yes, it was Skye.

They locked eyes, Jack gave her a "told you so" smile, she simply shouted: "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"

"I'm coming Skye!" He shouted back. Jack slid along one of the curtains and was back on the floor. He ran towards the general direction of Skye's voice. He lunged over a table and picked up a heavy porcelain plate. For a single moment the cloud of smoke gave him a clear view of the birds and he threw the plate spinning towards them. Jack kept on his pursuit when the plate hit the eagle on its back, shards of porcelain flying all around.

The eagle lost its balance and let a terrified Skye fall. That was something that Jack didn't think through: it was at least a five meter drop, really not ok to fall from that high if you are not a cat.

"AAAAAAAAH!" She screamed in her way down, the floor approaching fast as if a long unmet friend. Her fall was stopped by another eagle, though. It's claws sank into her dress, the snap of the sudden change of speed and direction making her fall unconscious.

Jack tried to follow the new captor, but the injured eagle lunged against him, Jack dodging it's claws by a single inch. The eagle stopped in front of him, a clumsy landing at first. With his back towards Jack he turned his head and extended his wings, his back still towards Jack, but his head staring at Jack, his wings forming an angle. Jack stopped and got his feet together, his paws by his waist. He took a deep breath and again hardened his fingers imitating a tiger paw, each of his fingers a claw. He stomped the floor, strongly, and positioned himself.

For a moment they just stared at each other, each measuring their opponent, trying to foretell what the other was going to do. But Jack was young, his girlfriend was being kidnapped and he had an eagle to catch, so he advanced. With a single hop he covered the distance between the and slashed against his opponent's lower wing. The eagle spun his body around Jack, taking his lower wing out of his reach and using his other to spin around the rabbit. Jack turned, his elbows shielding his face, just in time to brush off a kick with nasty talons. Jack advanced under his wings now, he punched, but the eagle quickly got out of reach with a flap of his wings. The eagle was not much taller than him, less than half a meter taller than him, but it's brown wings with shades of golden were a huge feathery nightmare.

The eagle took a step back and laid his head down, his wings pointing upwards. He stared at Jack, and Jack prepared himself to whatever came next. The eagle was on the charge, he jumped up and came down kicking, Jack had little to no time to get out of his way, but that was what the eagle intended. As soon as Jack moved, the eagle twirled over his feed and stroke with his right wing against the rabbit's head. Jack on his turn crossed his arms and paws over his head, using his little imitation of a tiger left claw to shove the wing away from him. When he got out from under the wing Jack clawed again against it with his right paw, finally grasping feather and bone. He cocked his elbow for a strike, but the eagle's other wing came gliding over the one being held and shoved Jack away, he being left with a few feathers in his grasp.

"You know your Black Tiger Fist very well, for a rabbit." Spoke the eagle, taking a step away from him.

Jack had the impression of a smile from the eagle so he returned it. "You know your Wushu pretty well too. For an eagle."

They panted and repositioned themselves again. Jack holding his right claw by his face and his left one by his waist, in reverse. The eagle held one of his claws close to his waist and stretched his wings, menacingly. Suddenly he advanced, with a flap he was in the air, his claws punching towards Jack furiously. The rabbit punched alternatively with his claws, shoving as best as he could the talons from cutting him in half. An opening presented itself and Jack gave a straight kick, hard against the bird's groin, which simply took a step back and shook its head.

"What the hell?! You do not have balls?" Asked Jack in a frustrated tone.

"Birds have no balls, you ignorant savage! And are you assuming my gender?" Inquired the bird, again with his back turned and his wings at an angle.

"Oh… Sorry about that." Jack charged once again, he feigned a punch and the eagle twirled, defending himself. Jack jumped over his wings and clinched both of his paws, he focused for a split of a second and punched with both fists, mustering all his weight and strength behind it. One hit straight at the eagle's chest, the other by his abdomen and both made bone crack under them. The eagle fainted, falling over one of his wings. "And for that."

Jack ran through the hall and hopped into a balcony, outside he could see Zootopia's night sky, it's lights and a giant zeppelin hovering over it.

 _FOOOOOOOON_

Jack heard, startling himself. By his side a bobcat with a trombone stood on a stone bench, his swallowtail suit all crumbled.

"Sorry!" Said the bobcat taking his mouth out of the trombone. "It just seemed too ominous."

"My girlfriend is in there, you prick!" Shouted Jack, angrily. He gazed again towards the zeppelin, how could he get there? How could he save Skye?

 _FOOOOOOOON_

"Could you not?!" Shouted again Jack.


End file.
